Into the Kill Zone: A Cop's Eye View of Deadly Force

This book offers a unique insight into the effect that police shootings have on the officers who are involved. It covers the extensive training that officers receive about shooting incidents, stories from officers who would have been justified in shooting but did not fire, stories from officers who did shoot, more stories from officers who had been shot, and stories from officers describing the aftermath and lasting effects of their shooting experiences. The author interviewed several policemen and women, and the stories his book contains are all genuine. Names and certain identifying information have been altered to protect the anonymity of the interviewees, but the content of their stories remains intact. If you or someone you know is considering a career in law enforcement, or if you volunteer with a law enforcement agency as I do, this book can help you understand some of the personalities you might come across. As another reviewer stated, it is not a detailed and graphic description of shootings, although a number of shootings are described in detail because those details are what the officer involved remembered most clearly. Perhaps the person who would be best served by reading this book is the one who tends to fault the police in shootings. The stories here will show that, behind the badge and uniform, the police are still people, just like us. They have feelings, just as we do. They get scared, they can be hurt, they have bad days. They tend to see the very worst human situations on a regular basis. And yet they get up every morning, put on the uniform, put their personal issues aside, and keep us safe. They deserve everyone's respect. Sure, there are a few bad apples in the lot, but judging the entire community by the irresponsible actions (or inaction) of the few exceptions is not fair to the vast majority of officers who choose, over and over again, to do the right thing.

I grabbed a copy of KILL ZONE after Malcolm Gladwell described it as "fascinating" and "extraordinary" in his new book BLINK. KILL ZONE does not disappoint. In fact, it is a wonderful read, taking the reader inside the hearts and minds of our nation's police officers in a way I've never seen before. KILL ZONE presents the stories of dozens of cops who have shot suspects in the line of duty and lived to tell about it. In five lucid chapters, it covers 1) why men and women become cops, 2) the training young officers receive about making the ultimate decision that Gladwell focused on in the last chapter of BLINK, 3) how cops manage to avoid pulling the trigger when they have justification to do so (some incredibly scary stuff), 4) gunfights (the stories of officers' perceptions during shootings, as Gladwell touched on in BLINK, are quite amazing), and 5) how officers live with the knowledge that they have shot someone. I was particularly taken by the story of a young female officer who killed a carjacker after he shot her through the heart, staved off death by the sheer force of her will, and then went back to work to keep protecting her community. In all, KILL ZONE offers a compelling portrait of how America's cops deal with the awesome power they have over life and death. Like I said in my review of BLINK, anyone who wants to learn more about decision making under extreme pressure and the intriguing topic of police shootings should do what I did and read Klinger's KILL ZONE

I ran across this book in my local bookstore and bought it primarily for research. I was soon captivated by the author's ability to step aside from the subjects of his research and let them tell their own stories in their own ways. The book is broken down into 5 main stages any officer involved in a shooting will go through: before you become an officer, basic training, instances when you could have shot but didn't, the shooting incident itself, and the aftermath (including investigation and responses). In each case, the officers speak for themselves. The ring of authenticity is unmistakable. I commend Klinger for resisting the impulse to "clean up" the accounts to make them fit some preconceived assumptions about what an officer "should" be thinking, experiencing, or remembering. The book also gives information on how to access Kinger's complete final report (the academic exercise behind the stunning testimonies) on the Internet. This is a profound introduction for a general reader and a powerful affirmation of officer integrity for those with a special interest in the subject, especially for those who are or know officers themselves.

As a former police officer I have often found the readings on police use of deadly force to be clinical and detached. Working primarily with shooting statistics, formal policies, and legal doctrine, these readings usually fail to capture the uncertain and ambiguous conditions in which officers make deadly force decisions. The result is that the reader is left with the false impression that officer decision-making unfolds in an environment where the facts are clearly known and it is simply a matter of doing the right thing. Klinger, however, bridges this gap by drawing on a storytelling approach to research and writing. He introduces each chapter with background information on the related policing and deadly force topics, and then relays the officers' stories on these issues in their own words to give the reader a contextually rich understanding of what these individuals experience. The result is that the reader has a stronger grasp of the situations officers confront, and how the officers perceive both the incident and the period that follows. The book is an interesting read for the law enforcement community, and is also highly relevant for citizens, legal scholars, and political officials who have an interest in policing, whether from a critical or supportive perspective.

I first heard about this recently-released book when I caught part of an interview with the author on our local public radio station. He told the story of how a life-and-deadh situation four months into his police career forced him to take the life of a violent criminal in order to save his partner's life. Having two close friends who are police officers, the subject immediatly interested me. I picked up the book and was instantly hooked. From the first few pages, this book gives you a "from the inside" look at deadly force situations. The book is interesting from start to finish. It raises important questions and gives the reader a point of view that is often overlooked. I strongly recommend this read.